Firebase Bastogne (also known as Firebase Phu Xuan) was a U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) firebase, located along Highway 547 halfway between the city of Huế and the A Sầu Valley, a feeder route from the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Creation and early years Bastogne was originally constructed in late March 1968, by the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Carentan and was named after the Battle of Bastogne where the 101st Airborne and other U.S. units held the town of Bastogne against seven German divisions during World War II. The base was then used to support Operation Delaware, following which it was closed, but was reopened in August 1969 by the 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry. Bastogne had three artillery batteries: 105, 155, and heavies (175 and 8 inch two of each in one battery). It also had two M42 Duster (from D Battery 1/44th Artillery), two quad 50's and one searchlight. Following the withdrawal of U.S. forces, the base was transferred to the ARVN 1st Division who renamed it Phu Xuan. Easter Offensive and abandonment In early March 1972 People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces from the 6th Regiment began attacks on Bastogne and its outposts. The heaviest fighting occurred on 18-19 March when 235 PAVN were killed during fighting at Cu Mong/Hill 640. A total of 513 PAVN and 42 ARVN were killed in two weeks of fighting before the PAVN withdrew to its base areas in the west. Firebase Bastogne, like most other support bases in Thừa Thiên Province, came under intense fire during the Easter Offensive of 1972. On 9 April a PAVN attack on the base was defeated for the loss of 182 PAVN and nine ARVN, however 14 M113 armored personnel carriers were destroyed in the fighting on Route 547. The ARVN then withdrew the four M107s at the base to Camp Eagle and moved the 54th Regiment's headquarters from the base to Firebase Birmingham, 6km to the east. The PAVN then laid siege to the base and on 11 April lost 102 killed as an ARVN armored column tried for the third day to relieve the base. By 12 April the base was running low on food and ammunition and PAVN fire prevented helicopters from evacuating more than 100 wounded at the base. On 13 April after two B-52 strikes around the base, the ARVN relief force reported finding